Changeable sign



Jan. 24, 1933.

J. L. D. MORRISON. JR

CHANGEABLE 5 IGN Filed Feb. 24, 1930 M M CmARZ N EQ 2 Sheets-Sheet l amulet Jan. 24, 1933.

J. L. D. MORRISON. JR

CHANGEABLE 5 IGN Filed Feb. 24. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnuwnioz Mam Patented Jan. 24, 1933 FATE JAMES L. D. MORRISON, JR., 01 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA OHANGEABLE sren Application filed February 24, 1930. Serial No. 430,782.

This invention relates to changeable signs such as used largely for advertising purposes. A desirable advertising effect is attained with signs such as embodied in this invention, par- 5 ticularly where, the sign changes with such rapidity as to attract attention. The general object of this invention is to produce a changeable sign of this character which is so constructed as to enable the exhibited picture to be quickly changed. This admirably adapts the, sign for advertising purposes as it enables figures to be shown as though in motion. One of my objects'is to present a picture on the face of the sign which enlarges so rapidly as to give an effect as though the object is approaching the observer. This gives a very marked advertising effect.

A further object of the invention is to produce a changeable sign which can operate without the use of lights or projecting apparatus to attain substantially the effect of a moving picture.

Further objects-of the invention will ap pear hereinafter.

The invention consists of novel parts and combination of parts to be described hereinafter, all ofwhich contribute to produce an efficient changeable sign. I

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following specification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation upon a greatly reduced scale of a sign board embodyingmy invention. This view shows the sign as the same might appear when first seen by an observer.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l, but

representing another phase of the picture and legend carried by the sign.

Figure 3 is a vertical section upon an enlarged scalethrough the sign taken about on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and illustrating the inner parts of the sign with their driving mechanism.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken about on the level of the line H of Figure 3 but with certain parts broken away and shown in section at difi'erent levels.

Figure 5 is a detail vertical section taken about on the line 55 of Figure 4 and particularly illustrating the means for guiding the changeable elements or webs of the sign at the face of the sign board.- In practicing my invention I provide a sign board with a plurality of webs, each of which has a plurality of individual pictures consisting of portions of a complete picture of the object to be illustrated. The sign board is constructed with means for guiding these webs respectively across small adjacent portions of the sign board so that the portion of the picture on any web will match upwith the picture portions on adjacent webs so as to form a complete picture of the illustrated object. In addition to this I provide means for advancing the webs with a quick step-bystep movement which brings the individual picture portions successively into view on the face of the sign. r r

The eifect of this isclearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 which represent different stages of the operation of a sign for advertising cigars. Figure 1 illustrates an early stage in the operation of the sign at which time the illustrated object represented by the picture 1 of a cigar is of such a small scale that it is composed of three picture portions, 1a, 1b and 10. In the stage of operation illustrated in Figure 2 this picture is greatly enlarged so as to produce a relatively large picture 2 of the cigar composed of picture portions, such as the picture portion 2a and corresponding picture portions which match up to produce a relatively large picture of a cigar, utilizing all of the space on the changeable portion of the sign. At the same time, if desired, the changeable portions of the-sign may be provided with portions 3a, 36, etc. that match up to produce the letters of the word Cigars, or any other desired legend.

Referring more particularly to the present embodiment of the invention as illustrated 95 in Figures 3, 4t and 5, the sign comprises a casing or box 4: having a front wall 5 which is provided with a plurality of slots 6 at its front side which are substantially parallel with each other andpreferably extend in a of slots 6 I provide a continuous web 9 and these webs are mounted so that they pass through the slots 6 and lie flat against the forward face of corresponding sections of.

the sign board. In order to accomplish this I provide small rollers or guide bars 10 located in the slots and corresponding to the webs for guiding the .same (see Figure 4). Each web 9 is guided in the rear of the box or casing 4 back of the sign board so that each web can have considerable length. For this pur pose I provide two sets of guide pulleys 12 and 13 around which the webs are guided in loops 14. 7 r y i In order to feed each web forward automatically with a step-by-step movement so as to expose another portion of the web and enable the same to dwell for a short time on the front of the sign, I prefer to provide means located just back ofthe sign board for giving the forward part of the web this character of feeding movement, and provide means directly back of this for maintaining slack in the web so as to' insure that there will be ample web present to permit this periodic advancing movement.

fThis is desirable beca-use'it reduces the force necessary to produce this sudden advancing movement of the web and prevents tearingthe web. In other words, the rear portion of the web is advanced with a substantially continuous feeding movement and the forward part of the web is advanced with astep-bystep movement such as produced by the use of a Geneva stop-movement. For this purpose, corresponding to each web I provide 'a'iplurality of vertical shafts 15 which are preferably aligned with each other (see Figure 4) andthese shafts carry continuous-feed drums 16 consisting of two "heads 17 attached respectively to the upper and lower ends of the shaft. In order to pre- 7 vent creeping of the webs on the heads17 and in order to insure perfect 'synchronism in the movements of all of the webs, I prefer to provide the upper and lower edges of the web with perforations 18 that cooperate with sprocket teeth 19 formed on the heads. In

order tohold'the webs on the sides of the heads 17 I provide presser rollers20 rotatably mounted in thefram'e 21 of the machine and provided opposite the sprocket teeth 19 of the heads and keep the webs in contact with sprocket teeth.

The step-by-step feed mechanism which is similar to the drums 16 and similarly provided with heads having sprocket teeth 25 cooperating with guide rollers 26 similar to the guide rollers 20. The drums 16 are driven continuously at an average speed which kee s pace-with the feeding movement caused y the drums 24,'and'operate to maintain slack 27 in the webs (see Figure 4) between the forward and rear drums. According to my invention it is not necessary toiprovide the shafts 15and 23 to correspond with each pair of slots, but with each alternate pair, because I utilize the adjacent faces of the drums for feeding forward an intermediate web. These intermediate webs, such as the webs 28, are juxtaposed over the adjacent webs and ad Vance with them. This is most advantageous because it reduces the cost of the mechanism.

-With this arrangement it will be evident that when the mechanism is inoperation the webs will move in the manner indicated by.

the small arrows at the front of the sign, as indicated in Figure 4. In order to insure that the web will be sufficiently taut, the rollers 12 are all carried on a common. frame 29 (see Figure 4), the ends of which are attached by adjustable connections30 to the side walls of the box.

In order to give the desired Geneva stop movement to the shafts 23, they are all driven from a line shaft 31 (see Figure 4) which is provided with bevel gears 32 meshing with Y pose asmall electric motor 37, having a driv- This pinion ing pinion 38 on its shaft. meshes with a gear wheel 39 (see Figure 3) that drives a Geneva stop-movement 40 ineluding a star wheel 41 rigidly carried on the shaft 31. Between the pinion 38 and the shaft 34 back gearing 42 is provided (see Figure 3) which drives the shaft 34 at a uniform speed, but averaging the same number of revolutions per minute as the shaft 31 so as to insure that the slack 27 will always be maintained in the webs.

It is understood that the embodimentof the invention'described herein is only one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and I do not wish to belimited in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

In practice the picture portions on the webs or belts 9 are made gradually larger and larger and represent portions of gradually enlarging pictures. In this way, when the sign is opera-ted rapidly it gives the effect of a moving picture and may give the effect of an illustrated object approaching the observer.

While I have described the illustration on the sign as representing a simple article such as a cigar, it will be evident that the sign can be readily used to represent a person in mo tion, for example, a woman sweeping in connection with an advertisement for a cleaner. This enables the sign to be adapted readily to any advertising purpose.

The mode of operation of the sign will now be briefly stated. The electric motor 37 drives the line shaft 34 at a uniform rate of speed, maintaining slack in the webs, as indicated at 27.

Through the gear 39 (see Figure 3) the Geneva stop-movement 40 drives the shaft 31 at the same number of revolutions per minute as the shaft 34. The amount of movement in the shaft 31 is suflicient to remove the exposed portion of the web and bring an equal length into view, thereby bringing into view in succession picture portions of the illustrated object. In this way, if desired, the effect of an object approaching the observer may be produced or an object may be represented in motion.

If desired, the webs or belts 9 may be formed of celluloid such as used in cameras and the illustrations on them may, if desired, be in colored photographs on the usual emulsion carried on such films.

It is advantageous to have the slots in the sign disposed in a vertical position for two reasons; first, because there is no tendency for the exposed part of the web to sag toward the lower end of the exposed part, and, second, because it facilitates the construction of the sign in units of a uniform width which can be added on as may be desired to produce a sign of any desired length.

What I claim is:

1. In a changeable sign construction the combination of a sign board, a plurality of webs each web having a plurality of individual pictures consisting of portions of a complete picture of an object arranged in a progressive enlarging or diminishing scale, means for guiding the webs respectively across adjacent portions of the sign board so that the portion of the picture on any web will match with the picture portions on adjacent webs to form a complete picture of the object illustrated, means for guiding said webs in the space back of the sign board, means disposed adjacent the rear face of the sign board for advancing each web with a step-by-step movement to bring the individ ual picture portions successively into view on the face of the sign, and means distinct from the last-named means for engaging the rear portions of the webs for advancing the rear portions of the webs, and maintaining slack in the same as the webs pass to the last named means.

2. In a changeable sign construction, the combination of a sign board having a plurality of substantially parallel vertical slots in its face, a plurality of webs guided through said slots from the back of the sign board, each web having a plurality of individual pictures consisting of portions of a complete picture of an object, said webs being disposed adjacent each other and cooperating so that the picture portion on any web will match up with the picture portions on adjacent webs to form a complete picture of the object illustrated, means back of the sign board for housing a considerable length of each web, a Geneva stop mechanism adjacent the rear side of the sign board with feed drums for advancing the webs with a step by-step movement to bring the individual picture portions successively into view and cause the same to dwell on the face of the sign, and thereby produce a succession of different pictures of the object, and means back of the last named means for advancing said webs to the Geneva stop mechanism and operating to maintain slack in the webs passing to the said feed drums.

3. In a changeable sign construction, the combination of a sign board having a plurality of substantially parallel slots in its face, a plurality of webs guided through said slots from the back of the sign board, each web having a plurality of individual pictures consisting of portions of a complete picture of an object, said webs being disposed adjacent each other and cooperating so that the picture portion on any web will match up with the picture portions on adjacent webs to form a complete picture of the object illustrated, a feed drum corresponding to each web and disposed back of the sign board, means for guiding its corresponding web and a juxtaposed run of an adjacent web on the face of the drum, and means for rotating the drums with a step-by-step movement to bring the individual picture portions successively into view on the face of the sign and thereby produce a succession of different pictures of the object.

4. In a changeable sign construction, the combination of a sign board having a plurality of substantially parallel slots in its face, a plurality of webs guided through said slots from the back of the sign board, each web having a plurality of individual pictures consisting of portions of the complete picture of an object, said webs being disposed adjacent to each other and cooperating so that'the'pieture portion on any web will I match up with the picture portions on adacentwebs to form a complete picture of the object illustrated, means back of the sign board for housing a considerable length of each web, a step-by step mechanism adjacent the rear side of the sign board with feed drums for advancing the webswith the step- .by-step movement to bring the individual picture portions successively into View and cause the same to dwell on the face of the sign, and thereby producea succession of different pictures of the object, and means back of the said step-by-step mechanism for advancing said webs to the step-by-step mechanism and operating to maintain slack in the webs passing to the said feed drums.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 15th day of February, 1980.

JAMES L. D. MORRISON, JR. 

